Penn Badgley Lands Role in the Other Jeff Buckley Movie

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When word first broke that they were making a film about Jeff Buckley, our first thought was, "Have fun casting that role." Now it turns out that there a second film in need of a Jeff Buckley, and it's just found its star.

Penn Badgley, best known for his role on "Gossip Girl," will play Jeff Buckley in "Greetings From Tim Buckley," according to a press release out today (hat tip: Playlist). The film is about “the true story of the days leading up to Jeff Buckley’s eminent 1991 performance at his father’s tribute concert in St. Ann’s Church. Through a romance with a young woman working at the concert, he comes to understand the father who abandoned him. Culminating in a cathartic performance of his father’s most famous songs, Jeff’s debut stuns the audience and launches his career as one of the greatest young musicians of his time.”

The concert helped launch young Jeff's own musical career. But this film is not to be confused with the biopic that's being prepped by Jake Scott ("Welcome to the Rileys"), son of Ridley and nephew of Tony, that was announced in April. Scott's film film will be a biopic that will presumably follow Buckley through to his tragic death at the age of 30.

So to recap: Badgley will star in a film that focuses on a specific time in Buckley's life; Jake Scott is still looking for an actor to play Buckley in a proper biopic--and he'd better hurry, 'cuz Badgley's film is to start shooting in August.